Farmers & Staff
Margie and her family (Mark, Kate, and Charlie) own and operate Goose Creek Gardens in Oakdale where they grow Certified Naturally Grown produce. Margie currently serves as the secretary of the Penn's Corner board. Goose Creek is locally famous for their amazing salad blend and culinary herbs! Check out their website: www.goosecreekgardens.com
Ken and Beth Marshall own and operate Next Life Farm in Indiana county. Their farm is Certified Organic, which means that they use only natural growing techniques. Next Life Farm also has a number of field greenhouses where they are able to extend the growing season in the spring and fall. Aside from growing a variety of Certified Organic produce, they also specialize in edible flowers.
Pam Bryan is one of the founding members of Penn's Corner and she currently sits on the Board as treasurer! Oh, and she runs Pucker Brush Farm in Shelocta, PA where she grows Certified Naturally Grown veggies and, in her free time raises sheep, ducks and rabbits.
Aaron Schwartz owes and operates Rippling Brook Farm in Sligo, PA and is a member of Clarion River Organics (a co-op within the Penn's Corner Co-op). Along with his wife and many children, Aaron grows large quantities of certified organic produce. In addition to Penn's Corner, Rippling Brook sells produce to many area grocery stores. Aaron became a Penn's Corner member in 2008.
Tim & Suzanne run the 235 acre family farm in Armstrong county known as Kistaco Farm. Apples are their specialty, but they also grow many other fruits and vegetables throughout the year. We have fallen in love with their delicious apple cider since they joined PCFA in 2003. Visit their website at www.kistacofarm.com or visit the Kistaco Farm Store which is open year round!
Scott Farabaugh and his wife, Christy, own and operate Blue Goose Farm in Nicktown, Cambria County. They specialize in potatoes, but they also grow lots of carrots, broccoli, and cabbage (among other things). Blue Goose Farm produce is Certified Naturally Grown. Check out their website at http://www.bluegoosefarmnicktown.com.
Sam Byler was a new Penn's Corner member in 2008. Sam along with his wife Susie and their seven children, milk over 100 goats at his farm in Venango County. His specialties are chevre and feta cheese, but he also grows produce for us through Clarion River Organics!
Dave and his family run a family farm called West Liberty Farm in Dubois, Clearfield County. In addition to fruits and vegetables, they also raise pastured chickens. West Liberty Farm has been a Penn's Corner member since 2008 and follows Certified Naturally Grown practices. Check out their website at http://www.westlibertyfarm.com.
Pete Beccari's Farm became a new Penn's Corner member is 2007. We're very excited that he did! Lot's of fun veggies including Brandywine heirloom tomatoes, tomatillos, ethnic peppers, and pumpkins of all sizes come from Pete's fields in Oakdale. Pete also serves as a Penn's Corner board member. Check out his website: www.beccaris.com.
Barbara, along with members of her family, runs the 87 acre Golden Harvest Farm in Leechburg. In addition to the hay fields, pastures, and woods, 10 of the acres are designated to the "Slowfood" philosophy of farming. Therefore, Barbara uses no chemical herbicides or pesticides in the gardens. Golden Harvest specializes in gourmet Italian, Mediterranean, and Asian produce, as well as 16 different types of potatoes! Before returning to the 4th generation family farm, she had a 25 year career as a chef in the San Francisco Bay area. Golden Harvest became a Penn's Corner member in 2007. Barbara also serves as the Penn's Corner board President.
David Yoder operates at Nu Way Farm in Mercer County. In addition to a wide variety of chemical-free (CF) fruits and vegetables, David also supplies free-range eggs. Nu Way Farm became a new Penn's Corner member in 2007. David also serves as a board member for Penn's Corner.
Carolyn McQuiston and a few key family members, run Dawson's Orchards in Beaver County. Their specialties are berries and tree fruit. Carolyn's farm became a Penn's Corner member in 2007. Check out their website at www.dawsonsorchards.com or go out and visit their Orchard Market!
Barbara Ann has been supplying PCFA with deliciously fresh bread from her bakery since she became a member of PCFA in 2009. Located in Fredonia, PA, Yoder's Sweet Shop breads have become a favorite of the PCFA Farm Stands.
The Farmers of Keystone Farmer's Cooperative raise cattle in the vicinity of Uniontown PA. Keystone is committed to providing the markets of South Western Pennsylvania with the highest quality Choice Beef, fed on grass and locally grown grains. Keystone's cattle are raised without the use of hormones, anti-biotics or pesticides in the feed. Check out a PCFA farm stand product list to view their wide range of offerings!
Joseph and Linda, with the help of their family of 9, grow 5 acres of chemical-free produce in Mercer County. Their main crops include strawberries, beans, beets, leeks, onions, potatoes and peas, but they also grow delicious black raspberries and blueberries.
James and Christine have been farming for a total of 35 years, 23 of which have been at their current farm in Prospect, PA. New to PCFA in 2010, Crighton Farm grows a wide variety of gourmet vegetables; among them are PA Simply Sweet Onions, shallots, peppers, cherry tomatoes and micro greens on their 12 acre farm.
Ben Byler owns and operates Sunny Meadow Farm in Atlantic, PA with the help of his family. Ben has been a member of Penn's Corner since 2009 and supplies us with delicious chemical free produce and strawberries.
The Foulk's farm in Greenville, PA has been in the family name for over 100 years. Bill and his wife Paula specialize in everything garlic, while following organic growing practices. Clubhouse Gardens has been a member of Penn's Corner since 2009.
Although new to Penn's Corner in 2010, Kim and Dianne have been raising grass fed and finished cattle for the past 20 years. Their 256 acre farm located in Ligonier, PA provides us with a large variety of heirloom beef products. Check out their website at www.kanangafarm.com
Lori and Rex provide Penn's Corner with a variety of cow's milk cheeses. All of their cheese is made from fresh raw milk from their Jersey Cows on their farm in Everett, PA. Their cows are rbst free and enjoy the free range of grazing the fields. Check out their website at www.hiddenhillsdairy.com for more information!
Clarion River Organics is a cooperative of 10 Amish family farms that work together in Silgo, PA. Their large network of farms provides us with lots of Certified Organic produce throughout the year! Check out their website at http://clarionriverorganics.com/index.htm
John and Jane Matthews own and operate the 60 acre family produce farm in Eighty-four, PA. With the help of some family and locally hired help, they grow a wide variety of seasonal veggies. They are perhaps best known for their amazing sweet corn, but they also grow tomatoes, zucchini, & winter squash, to name a few. The Matthews' Farm is one of the founding farms of Penn's Corner, and the Matthews family has been farming sustainably for at least 5 generations.
Raymond grows many delicoius things for Penn's Corner on his Farm in Hartstown, PA using all chemical free practices. He has been a member of PCFA since 2008 and even started supplying us with his own maple syrup this year!
Neil Stauffer is the general manager of Penn's Corner Farm Alliance. That means he gets to spend a lot of time talking to his favorite people--farmers, chefs, and CSA members.
Karlin began working with Penns Corner in April of 2009. After being involved in a CSA in southern Arizona for many years she (a Pittsburgh native) returned to Pittsburgh with her family in 2008 and quickly became a Penn's Corner CSA member and now, an employee.
Clint joined the Penn's Corner team in May of 2010 and we are sure glad he did! He is on the road year round delivering CSA boxes, restaurant, and Farm Stand orders.
Lydia has been the Farm Stand Coordinator for Penn's Corner since the spring of 2010. She did a 6-month farming apprenticeship in Kentucky, and learned how valuable a distribution organization can be for local farmers. Now she is part of that distribution system!
